Determinants of doctor consultation for micturition problems in an elderly male population.
OBJECTIVE
To study which factors influence doctor consultation when a subject has micturition problems.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire in an open population of older men (n = 1,695), followed by investigations in 10 general practices, including uroflowmetry.


RESULTS
25% of the men had micturition problems, of which 10-30% presented their symptoms to a doctor. Almost 60% experienced an influence of their micturition habits on activities of daily living. More than 85% of the men were not able to compare their micturition pattern with others. In multiple logistic regression, presentation to a doctor was independently associated with obstructive symptoms, dysuria, men defining their situation as a complaint, depressive mood, more frequent sexual desire and smoking. Many other factors which might play a role in diagnosis and timing of treatment were not found to influence consultation.


CONCLUSIONS
Most men deal with micturition problems without consulting, although symptoms have a substantial impact on daily life. Consultation was associated with symptoms, psychological factors and smoking.
Wolfs
G G
GG
Department of General Practice, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Knottnerus
J A
JA
Van der Horst
F G
FG
Visser
A P
AP
Janknegt
R A
RA
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000473:pathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology